Knitting machine



March 24, 1931. MQ c. MILLER l 1,797,436

KNITTING MACHINE Filed sept.A 15, 1926 4 sheets-sheet i1 vMarch 24, l1931.

IIIIIIIIIIIII NE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 M. c. MILLR KNITTING MACHINE Filed sept. i5, 192e' March 24, .1931.

Patented Mar. 24,1931

UNITED STATES MAX C. MILLER, F CUMBERLAND, RHODE ISLAND KNITTIN G- MACHINE Application led September 15, 1926. Serial No. 135,571.

The present invention relates to knitting machines and is herein disclosed as embodie in a straight knitting machine of the Lamb type ada ted to knit tubular fabric although certain eatures of the invention are not limited to this type of machine.

An object of the invention is to adapt a machine of the Lamb type for the production of links-and-links, rib, or fancy stitch fabric as vWell as plain tubular fabric.

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction which makes possible the use of -spring needles in machines adapted for the production of purl or links-and-links fabric.

Other objects of the invention are to provide an improved construction and arrangement of parts for feeding the yarn to the needles of a two-bed stral ht knitting ma- 2o chine employing spring nee es, to provide an improved construction and arrangement of the pressers ofsuch a machine and in general to improve the construction, arrangement and mode of operation of knitting machines adapted for the production of links-and-links fabrics or of knitting machines employing spring as distinguished from latch needles.

With these objects in view, a feature of the invention contemplates the provision in a machine of the Lamb type of mechanism whereby the loops may be drawn in either clirection.

Another feature of the invention consists in the utilization of double ended spring beard needles in a machine adapted to knit linksand-links fabric.

Another feature of the invention consists in an arrangement of knock-over surfaces and web holders in a machine of the Lamb 4o-type adapted to permit the loops formed on each of the opposed banks of needles to` be' drawn in either direction toknit plain or fancy fabric.

Another feature of the invention consists in an arrangement of parts which will permit the use of a single series of pressers and sinkers to cooperate with both series of needles in knitting fabric. e

Other features of the invention consist in the devices, combinations and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed, and together with the advantages to be obtained thereby, will be clearly understood by one skilled in the art from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a sectional view in elevation illustrating so much of a Lamb type straight machine embodying the various features offthe invention as is necessary to show the connection of the invention therewith; Fig. 2 is a view of certain of the parts shown in Fig. l, showing the needle actuating jack in inoperative position; Fig. 3 is a view on a somewhat larger scale than Fig. l illustrating the various knitting elements in the same operating position as in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a plan view showing a portion of the two opposing banks of needles and their associated web holders; Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 4 showing also 70 the sinkers; Fig. 6 is a plan View of a portion of a needle slot with a needle and its .actuating jack; Fig. 7 is a sectional view in elevation with a needle advanced to receive new yarn and a sinker projected to kink the new yarn about the needle; Fig. 8 is asimilar view with the needle partially withdrawn and the presser projected to press the beard of the needle preparatory to drawing the new loop throughthe old loop; Fig. 9 is' a similar 80 view'with the needle advancedv into engagement with the needle jack on the opposing bed preparatory to drawing a loop to the inside of the fabric; Fig. 10 is a similar view showf ing the needle still further advanced across 85 thel knitting line with the web holders raised to permit the transfer of the loops from one set of web holders to the other; Fig. 11 is a similar View showing the needle drawn entirely across the lmitting line with the adjacentI web holder depressed to draw the old loop to the end of the needle; Fig. 12 is a similar view showing the needle advanced from the upper bank to receive the new yarn on its lower hook and the sinker projected to kink the new yarn about the needle; Fig. `13 is a similar view with the needle partially withdrawn towards the upper bank and the presser projected to press the beard of the needle' preparatory to drawing the new loop through the old loop to the inside of the fabric; Fig. 14 is a detail plan View of the spring hook on the needle actuating jack in open position; Fig. 15 is a view similar to Fig. 14 with the hook in closed position; and Fig. 16 is a view in side elevation of the part's shown in Figs. 14 and 15.

The invention is herein disclosed as embodied in a straight knitting machine of the Lamb type comprising two groups of opposed needles adapted for the production of tubular fabric. The machine is equipped with the two oppositely inclined needle beds hereinafter referred to as the main needle beds usually found in the Lamb construction and is provided with two additional or supplemental needle beds with slots aligned with the slot's of the main beds in order tg permit the needles to be shuttled across the knitting line and to draw loops to either side of the I fabric. Two series of double ended spring beard needles are employed, and a single serles of pressers and sinkers is provided to press the beards of and kink yarn around the active'needlesA of both series, these elements bein centrally located' above the needle beds and aving 'a substantially vertical plane of operation. Two `series of web holdershaving substantially vertical knock-over 4surfaces and mounted to operatein a substantially 4 vertical plane are inserted between the needle beds to cooperate with the needles whether operating on the main or sup lemental beds.

Referring more particularlly to the drawings, the two opposltely inclined main needle beds are indicated at' 2 and 4 and are prol vided with slots 6 in which the, double ended spring beard needles 8 are mounted to slide. Two series of web holders 10 are interposed between the two needle beds 2 and 4 which are slotted to receive them. The web holders are supported in the beds 12 and are held in place bymeans of supports 14 and 16, which also serve as' guideways for the web holder cam slides 18. The pressers indicated at 20 and the sinkers indicated at 22 are carried in slots in a bed 24, which'is mounted above the knittingline. A yarn eye for feeding new yarn to the needles is indicated at 25.

Mounted above each of the needle beds 2 and 4 are the supplemental needle beds 26 and 28 provided wlt slots 30 aligned to permit the needles to be shuttled across the knitting line from the corresponding main or lower bed.

Needle actuating jacks 34 are mounted in the needle slots 6 and are adapted to engage with the rear ends of the needles when operating in the lower needle beds 2 and 4. Pivotallyconnected to the rear ends of the jacks 34 are the swinging jacks 36 equipped with butts 38 to engage with the needle cams carried on the needle cam' slide 40. The swinging jacks 36 are raised so that the butts 38l are in position to be acted upon by the needle cams or are permitted to swing downwardly to render the needles inoperative by means of control jacks indicated at 42 .in Fig. 1. The general arrangement of the jacks and their actuating cams is fully described and illustrated in the applicants pending application Serial N o. 631,071.

The cam slides 40 supporting theneedle cams are mounted on guideways formed in the bars 44 and 46 overlying the needle beds 2 and 4. The jacks 34 have slightly concave surfaces at their ends to press against the ends of the needles and align the needles for connection to the jacks and each jack is provided with a spring latch adapted to enter 'the hook of a needle from the side to connect the needle with the jack. This latch comprises a spring plate 48 attached to the side of the jack and a projection 50 on the plate adapted to extend through the needle hook. The latch is opened to release the needle when the jack 34 ap roaches its foremost position in the slot by t e engagement of a projection 52 formed on the upper edge` of the spring plate 48 with a corresponding cam surface 54 formed on the under side of the bar 44. The

needle slots 6-are wide enough throughout the greater part of their length to accommo` date the needle actuating jacks-34 and the,

spring latches above described but have a narrow portion 32 at the front end just wide enough for the needle, which is thus positioned accurately as it is passed across-the knitting line. The needles are held in the bottoms of their grooves in the beds 2. and 4 by means of springs 56 mounted in a slot in the bar 44 to press yieldingly down on the needles. A plate 58 clamps the springs firm-` prlsmg a spring plate 62 mounted on the side` of the jack 'and a lug or projection 64 attached to the spring and adapted torextend through the loop of the needle similar to those found on the needle jacks 34 operat.

ing in the lower beds. A needle cam'lslide 66 is mounted above thesupplemental needle bed 28 in guideways formed in the bars 68 lio lasl

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and overlying the needle bed, and carries needle cams adapted to engage with the butts 72 of the needle jacks 60. The spring latch is opened to release or to receive a needle at theforward end of its slot by the engagement of a projection 74 formed on the spring with a corresponding-cam surface 76 formed -on the bar 68. As a needle is pushed across the knitting line into the needle bed 28 by the advance of a needle jack 34 to its foremost position in a needle groove 6, the upper end of the needle is brought into contact with a needle jack 60, which is in its advanced position with the latch open. The further upward movement of the jack 34 and the needle causes the 'ack 60 to move backward, permitting the latch to engage in the needle hook and bringing the jack butt 72 within the influence of the supplemental needle cams. At the same time the spring latch on the jack 34 will be forced open by the engagement of the projection 52 With-the corresponding cam snrface 54 in the forward part of the slot.

The needles are held in the bottoms of their slots while operating in the supplemental needle bed 28 by springs 73 mounted in a slot 76 in the bar 68 where they are held by means of a plate 78. The supplemental needle' bed 26 is similarly provided with needle jacks and their actuating cams to cause the needles normally operating on the lower needle bed 4 to draw loops to the inside or back of the fabric held onthese needles.

The web holders .10 are mounted in slots formed in web holder beds 12 situated below and between the needle 'beds 2 and 4 to move up and down between the beds and are arranged in two banks corresponding to the needle banks with substantially vertical knock-over surfaces 82. The motions of the webholders in the two banks parallel each other so that the two series of knock-over surfaces will be always the same distance apart. With this arrangement, the web holders may bemade to cooperate with the needles when operating on' the upper or supplementalV needle beds simply by raising the web holders cooperating with these needles slightly more than the normal distance. The web holder nibs 84 are offset to permit the notched heads 86 of the sinkers to operate between them to kink yarn about the needles. v

The sinkers mounted in slots in the bed 2 are centrally located and o erate in a substantially vertical plane to 'nk yarn about the active needles operating on any one of the four banks. The notched sinker heads project downwardly between' the knock-over surfaces of the web holders, the web holder nibs being offset as above explained for this purpose. The s-inkers are provided with butts 88 to engage with the operating cams carried by the smker cam slide 90 and are further provided, with .butts 92 adapted to slide in shallow slots cu't inthe lower pxart of the sinker bed 24. Underlying the sinkers 22 and in the same slots are the pressers 20 adapted to press the beards of the active needles of either series, whether pulling loops to the inside or the outside of the fabric. The pressers are provided with butts 94 at their upper ends to engage with the presser actuating cams carried on the sinker cam slide 90. The shanks of the pressers are olfset at 96 and again at 98 so that they op,- erate on the center line ofthe machine between the sinkers and have their notched heads 100 thickened to fill all the space between the pressers.

Th yarn is fed through the eye 25 which travels to andfro in timed relation to the cams on the sinker cam slide which cause the sinker notches to kink the proper'amount of yarn around the active needles.

The mode of knitting a plain'piece of tubular fabric with the loops all drawn to the outside is as follows: The needles forming the knitting wave are projected with their beards above the center line'. The yarn is fed to the needles by the yarn eye 25 and is kinked about the needle Shanks below the beards by the downward thrust of the sinkers,

`as shown in Fig. 7. The needles are now vretracted to bring the new yarn within the needle hooks but with the beards still above the old fabric held on the hooks 82 of the web holders 10. At this position of the needles, the pressers 20 are caused to come down, closing the beards of the needles, and the corresponding web holders are advanced to permit the new yarn to pass under their nlbs, as shown in Fig. 8. The needlesthen continue to retract, drawing the new yarn through the old loops until they reach the knock-over line, when the web holders are again retracted to draw the old loops away from the back line of the needles, as is customary in ordinary knitting machines. f lhe various elements now occupythe positions shown in Fi 3. In the knitting of tubular fabric, t e same procedure takesplace on the other needle bed 4, resulting in the production of a plain tubular fabricA with V the loops all drawn to the outside.

In the knitting of rib, purl or fancy stitch fabric in which a portion of the loops are to be drawn to the inside or back of the fabric, the mode of operation is asv follows:

Prior to the passing of the knitting cams the lspondin slot in the needle bed 28 with the spring atch open to receive the needle as shown in Fig. 9. The further u ward movement of a needle under the in uence of lts -34 in the lower bed to the end of its slot where the spring latch is o ened to release the needle by the contact of t e projection 52 with the cam surface 54. At this position of the needles the corresponding web holders 10 are raised to release the fabric and the opposing web holders which operate in conjunction with the o posing needle bed 4 are pushed up to an a normally high position, as illustrated in Fig. 10.

The continued advance of the needles which are now connected to the needle jacks 60 to the back line of the needle bed 28 draws the loops which were knit on the bed 2 on the previous course beyond the knock-over line of the web holders 10, transferring the fabric to these web holders which are then retracted to draw the loops away fromv the back line 'of the needles, as illustrated in Fig. 11, preparatory to knitting new loops on the needle bed 28. lThe web holders 10' cooperating with the needlebank 2 are now at the same time withdrawn to their normal position and all is in readiness for the passthe old loops to the inside or back of tv e lng of the knitting cams. y The needles are projected acrossthe .knitting line to receive new yarn by needle actuating cams in the same manner as if operating on the lower` bed. The new yarn is kinked about the shanks of the needles by the sinkers cooperating with the knitting vwave in the usual manner, the corresponding web holders are slightly raised as shown in Fig. 12, and as the needles are withdrawn again into the up'per bank the pressers are projected to close the beards of the active needles, as shown 1n Fig. 13, and the new loops are drawn throu h fabric.l v

The needles carrying the reversely drawn loops are now transferred backto. the needle bed 2 to make way for the needles of the bed 4 knitting the other side of the fabric. To effect this transfer theneedle jacks are ad-y vanced projecting the needles across the line of centers into engagement with the jacks 34 in the needle bed 2. As thejacks 60 advanceto their foremost postion in the slots, their spring hooks are opened, allowing the needles to be withdrawn by the `jacks 34 and their-attached spring latches intdtli'e' needle bed 2.

The operation of the needles carried on bed 4 is in every respect similar to those on bed 2 and therefore need not be described in detail. With the machine above described, linksand-links or purl fiat or tubular fabric, also flat or tubularrib fabric can be produced, as

well as plain flat or tubular fabric, the design depending entirely u on which jacks are raised the abnormal istance to permit the jacks in the supplemental needle beds to connect with such abnormally projected needles.

While this invention is particularly applicable to a flat two bank machine, certam of the elements can well be used in single bed machines to produce at fabric or in other.

ltypes of machines-toproduce either flat or tubular fabric.

What is claimed is:

1. In a two bed straight knitting machine adapted for knitting tubular fabric, the combination of two series of independently operating'needles and a single series of sinkers adapted to cooperate with both series of needles.

2. In a two bed straight knitting. machine adapted for kittin'g tubular fabric, the combination of two series of independently operating needles, web 'holders therefor, and a single series of sinkers cooperating therewith.

3. In a two bed straight knitting machine adapted for knitting tubular fabric, the combination of two series of independently operating needles, a single series of sinkers cooperating therewith, and two series of web holders having substantially vertical knockove r surfaces interposed between the needle series.

4. In a two bed straight knitting machine, the combination of two series of independently operating needles, two vcorresponding series of web holders having substantially vertical knock-over surfaces and with the web 'holder nibs offset to permit the passing of the sinkers, and a single series of sinkers adapted to pass between the needles to kink 'yarn about the needles. l

5. In 'a two bed straight knitting machine adapted for knitting tubular fabric, the combination of two series of independently operating needles, two corresponding series Voff web holders, and a single series of slnkers operating on asubstantially vertical plane midway between the needle series.

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6. In a two bed straight knitting machine I adapted for knitting tubular fabric, the combination of oppositely inclined needle beds,

a series 'of needles for each bed, a series of web holders cooperating with each series of needles, and a single series of sinkers cooperating with both series of needles.

7. In a two bed straight knitting machine, the combination of two series of independently operating sprin `beard needles, and a single series of in ependently operating.

i 9.l In a two bed straight knitting machine, the combination of two series of spring beard needles, a single series of sinkers to operate` between the needles and a single series of pressers to press the beards of the active needles. v

10. In a two bed straight knitting machine adapted for knitting tubular fabric, the combination of two series of sprin beard needles, two corresponding series o web holders with substantially vertical knock-over surfaces,and a single series of sinkers centrally located and adapted to extend downwardly between the needles. v

11. In a knitting machine, the combination of double ended spring beard needles, needle beds aligned on each side of the knitting line to allow the passage of the needles from one bed to the other, jacks in each bed for actuating the needles to draw loops in either direction and means for connecting each jack when rendered operative to the adjacent hook portion of its corresponding needle to positively advance and retract the needle.

12. In a knitting machine, the combination ofneedle beds aligned on each side of the knitting line to allow the passage of needles from one bedv to the other, double ended spring beard needles arranged to draw loops in either direction, two jacks for each needle y one associated with each bed to actuate the needle and means for connecting each jack when rendered operative to the adjacent hook -portion of its corresponding needle to posil tively advance and retract the needle.

13. In a two bed straight knitting machine adapted for knitting tubular fabric, the combination of two oppositely inclined needle beds, two series of double ended spring beard needles, a'supplemental needle bed for each of said beds aligned to receive needles from the said beds as they are passed across the knittin line to draw loops to the 'opposite side o the fabric and a single series of pressers for closing the beards of the needles operating in all four beds.

. 14. In a two bed straight knitting machine adapted for knitting tubular fabric, the combination of two oppositely inclined needle beds, two series of double ended needles, a supplemental needle bed for each of said beds havm slots aligned to receive needles from the sald beds as they are passed across the knitting line to permit loops to be drawn to the frontor the back of the fabric supported on the aforesaid needles and a single series of sinkers to cooperate with the needles op- `erating in all four beds.

15. In a two bed straight knitting machine adapted for knitting tubular fabric,'the combination of two oppositely inclined needle beds, two series of double ended needles, a supplementalA needle bed for each of said beds having slots aligned to-receive needles from the saifl 'beds as they are passed across the 'knittin line to permit loops to be drawn to the ront or the back of the fabricv supported on the aforesaid needles, and two series of web holders interposed between the said oppositely inclined needle beds to oprzte with the needles operating in all four 17. In a two bed straight knitting machine adapted for knitting tubular fabric, the combination of two oppositely inclined needle beds, two series of double ended needles, a supplemental needle bed for each of said beds having slots aligned to receive needles .from the said beds as theyfare passed across the knitting line to permit loops to be drawn to the front or the back of the i:fabric sup- -ported on the aforesaid needles, and two series of web holders having substantially vertical knock-over surfaces interposed `be tween said oppositely inclined needle beds to cooperate with the needles in all'four beds.

18. In a two bed straight knitting machine adapted for knitting tubular fabric, the combination of two o positely inclined needle beds, two series of ouble ended spring beard needles, a supplemental needle bed foreach of said beds having slots aligned to receive needles from the said beds as they arepassed needles from the said beds as they are passed .i

across the knitting line to ermit loops to be drawn to the front or the back of the fabric supported on the aforesaid-needles, a single series of pressers centrally located for pressing the beards of the active needles, and two series of web holders having substantially vertical knock-over surfaces interposed between said oppositely inclined needle beds to cooperate with the needles.

20. In a two bed straight adapted for knitting tgbularsfabric, the combination of .,tweoppositely inclined needle knitting mafiiii 'l beds, two series of double ended spring beard needles, a supplemental needle bed for each of said beds having slots aligned to receive needles from the said beds as they are passed across the knitting line to permit loops to be drawn' to the front or the back of the fabric supported on the aforesaid needles,

a single series of pressers and sinkers centrally located and vertically moveable into Vand out of operation, and two series of web holders'having substantially vertical knockover surfaces interposed between said oppositely inclined needle beds and having av substantially vertical plane of operation.

21. In a two bed straight knitting machine of the Lamb type adapted for knitting tubular fabric, the combination of two oppositely inclined main needle beds, two series of double ended spring beard needles, a supplemental needle bed for each of said beds having slots aligned to receive needles from the said beds as they are passed across the knitting line to permit loops to be drawn to the front or the back of the fabric supported on the aforesaid needles, a jack mounted in each slot adapted, when rendered operative,

' to engage with the adjacent hook portion of its' corresponding needle to positively advance and retract the needle, pressers, sinkers, and Web holders to cooperate with the needles. e

22. In a knitting machine, the combination of two aligned needle beds, double ended needles, jacks for controlling the movements of the needles in each bed, and a spring latch on each jack adapted to engage a needle through the side of the hook to connect the needle to the jack.

23. In a knitting machine, the combination of two aligned needle beds, vdouble ended needles, corresponding slots in each bed to permit the needles to pass from one bed to the other, a jack in each slot for controlling the movement 'of a needle in that bed, a spring latch attached to each jack adapted to engage the needle through the side of the hook, and a cam surface formed in the slot to disengage the latch from the needle when the j ack is advanced to pass the needle into the other 24. In aknitting machine, the combination of two aligned needle beds, double ended sprm beard needles, a single presser to press both eards of a needle, corresponding slots in eachV bed to permit the needles to from one bed to the other, a jack in each slot for controlling the movement of a needle in that bed, a 'spring latch attached toeach jack adapted to engage a'needle through the side of the hook, and a cam surface formed in the slot to disengage the latch from the needle pass p when the jack, is advanced to pass the needle adapted for into the other bed.

25. In a two bed straight knitting machine the production of tubular fabric, the combination of two oppositely inclined needle beds, two series of -double ended needles, a supplemental needle bed for each of'said beds havin slots aligned to receive needles from the sa1d beds as they are passed across the knitting line to permit loops to be drawn' to the front or back of the fabric supported on the aforesaid needles, and two series of web holders, eachseries being adapted to knock over and hold down loops formed by needles operatin on one of the oppositely inclined beds and t mental bed.

In testimony whereof I name to this specification.

have signed my e superimposed supple- 

